By Ashley Jones
As a nerd, you may have already latched on to a meaningful baby name specific to your fandom or fascination of choice. For geeky parents-to-be who are undecided or need inspiration, nerdy baby names can run the gamut from those originating in a beloved galaxy far, far away to the obscure corners of comic book worlds before their main characters were on every big screen.
Sneaky fandom names that are fantasy-derived but still sound somewhat familiar in real life are like little nerdy treats. They’re just waiting to be noticed by a Trekkie teacher looking at their new classroom roster for the first time or the right Human Resources geek, catching on with a hearty nod of appreciation in silent awe at your cleverness as a parent. Of course, that’s what every nerdy parent is after when they choose a baby name. (If your child one day puts Darth or Zeus on a job application, they may get some side-eye, or they could have a fantastic boss who gets it — you’re taking your chances there.)
Instead of hiring a baby name consultant, use your nerdy brain to embrace your inner geek without dooming your spawn to a lifetime of cruel jokes and bad puns.
1. Burton
The last name of the iconic Reading Rainbow host who also played Geordi La Forge in Star Trek is peak geek.
2. Luna
Embrace the Harry Potter fandom with this celestial Greek name that means “moon.”
3. Ripley
Give Ellen Ripley the respect she earned and your baby after Sigourney Weaver’s Alien character. Believe it or not, this is an Old English name that refers to a clearing in the woods, a meadow.
4. Atticus
If you’re more of a literary nerd than a sci-fi geek, you’ll recognize this name from Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. A fine tribute to the honorable (fictional) attorney, the name is believed to have Ancient Roman roots.
5. Carol
The term for the songs sung at Christmastime, but also the first name of Carol Danvers. A fine choice to pay homage to Captain Marvel.
6. Gannon
The nickname for the powerful warlock from the Legend of Zelda, Ganondorf, is technically spelled with only one “l.” Change up the spelling to remove some of the villain vibes.
7. Lyra
A nod to Pokémon, Lyra is a Greek name derived from the Latin lyre, a type of harp that music and mythological geeks will recognize.
8. Arthur
Whether you make the connection to A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, King Arthur, or the proud Weasley papa in the Harry Potter series, Arthur is undoubtedly one of the nerdier baby names out there.
9. Issac
The first name of Sir Issac Newton, nerd of nerds, is also the name of a particularly memorable character from The Orville. Of Hebrew origin, Issac means “laughter.”
10. Dewey
Naturally, book nerds will appreciate the connection to the numerical library classification system, but this baby name also has a sweet Welsh meaning — “beloved.”
11. Jane
For oh so many nerdy connections: Goodall, Austen, Eyre. Also, Firefly. Jane is of English origin and means “God is gracious.”
12. Tobias
Tobias sounds nerdy without any context. But the fact that it’s a character name in Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Divergent series, Arrested Development, and Harry Potter gives it even more oomph.
13. Cora
Pay homage to Battlestar Galactica and Greek mythology with the name Cora, which means “maiden,” derived from Kore, a reference to Persephone.
14. Neil
Stargate fandom, this one’s for you. It’s a deep cut, but the last name of Colonel Jack O’Neill (minus one “l”) will serve your baby well.
15. Carrie
Leia is a beautiful but obvious nerdy name choice. Instead, go with the first name of the incomparable actress who stole the hearts of Star Wars fans as both a princess and a general. Alternatively, Fisher is a super cute name for a boy.
16. Finnick
The origins of this name differ depending on who you ask — possibly derived from Fenwick or Finnegan — but fans of The Hunger Games know precisely where they first heard it.
17. Ender
A standout choice if you’re into blatant references to Ender’s Game, the name Ender means “rare” in Turkish. (The irony there is 100% worth it.)
18. Pippin
A nod to both Tolkien and broadway musicals, Pippin is a lovely name choice for someone born into a family of many fandoms.
19. Brian
Anthony Michael Hall’s character in The Breakfast Club is in the Latin, math, and physics clubs. Plus, he loves the work of Molière — a nerd if there ever was one. If a virtuous baby name is something you’re after, Brian is an Irish name that means “high” or “noble.”
20. Robin
Are you a bird nerd? Do you like superhero sidekicks? Or could you imagine decorating a Winnie The Pooh-themed nursery? (As in, Christopher Robin.) If you answered yes to any of those questions, consider Robin for your little mini-geek.
21. Logan
Wolverine’s chosen moniker, Logan, is a Scottish name that means “little hollow.” Originally a Scottish surname, it’s an excellent choice for both boys and girls.
22. Percy
Short for Perseus, the titular character of the Percy Jackson franchise. It works even if you’ve yet to make peace with a particular Harry Potter character.
23. Caspian
This seafaring baby name can also reference Prince Caspian from The Chronicles of Narnia series. If Caspian is too on-the-nose, try Cas for short.
24. Natasha
Like Romanoff herself, Black Widow’s first name is of Russian origin. The name means “birthday of the lord,” which refers to Christmas Day.
25. Arya
A reference to the sword-wielding Game of Thrones character, the Sanskrit name means “honorable” or “noble.”
26. Emmett
This name will give you an excuse to blast “Back in Time” by Huey Lewis and The News in labor and delivery and watch Back To The Future on repeat.
27. Kitana
Gift your child this high-kicking name from Mortal Kombat. Kitana is of Lebanese origin and means “light.”
28. Joss
A reference to Joss Whedon, naturally. It’s also short for Jocelyn, which could be a nod to famed astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who first discovered radio pulsars in 1967.
29. Leonard
You probably won’t want to name your kid Spock, but you can pull from the first name of the OG Star Trek actor, Leonard Nimoy. This name will also win you cool points with The Big Bang Theory fans.
30. Jace
Jace is a slightly nerdier version of Jason, meaning “healer.” It has ties to both Magic: The Gathering and The Mortal Instruments franchise.
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This post was previously published on Wealth of Geeks.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
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